Showing posts with label The I.L.Y.S. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The I.L.Y.S. Show all posts

Wednesday 16 August 2017

The I.L.Y.S "Bodyguard" (2017)


The I.L.Y.S are back with their third full length release! Two thirds of the legendary Death Grips, this Sacramento duo brings some of the bizarre oddities to a experimental Noise Rock setting. Bodyguard is seemingly more of the same but with more accustomed ears, Psychedelic Rock and other branches in the Rock umbrella become more apparent in a release that's toned down its Industrial and Punk leanings. There's a lot of conventional riffs, tricks, progressions and styles at work here yet its packaged with subtle electronics and interesting production choices that yield a slightly unconventional aesthetic as unusual sounds enter the fold. It has a rather tame tone in comparison to what they did with Ive Always Been Good At True Love.

Unfortunately my reaction to this record is muted. Mediocrity reigns supreme even though there is a lot of interesting and charming chemistry here. The bests moments or "hooks" seem to have a golden gloss to them, always feeling reminiscent of music from eras gone by. These moments of intrigue and curiosity are quite possibly dispelled by the vocals as my interest in the music never solidifies into a emotional response. The lyrical aspect of the record drifts in one ear and out the other, one string of words stuck, "like sperm on a hi-hat" purely for being rather bizarre.

The singing style doesn't resonate, it lacks power and oomph, the acoustic fidelity questionable as the words tend to level out with the other instruments, sucking the life out their contribution. In general its a disappointment that's not apparent. A seemingly reasonable experience that's entirely forgettable once the next record comes on. There are echos of good ideas here but the execution just isn't up to it.

Rating: 3/10

Thursday 17 November 2016

The I.L.Y.S "I've Always Been Good At True Love" (2015)


The I.L.Y.S are an Experimental Rock duo from Sacramento consisting of drummer Zach Hill and guitarist Andy Morin. Essentially they are two third of Death Grips, one of the most exciting new bands Ive heard, this bands identity resembles the group in its attraction to dissonant sounds and odd ball nature, the songs feel similar too however don't carry quite the same weight. This is the first of two records, a short one too at just under thirty minutes, which delves into arty, noisy aesthetic led tangents of Noise Rock and Grunge with a raw Punk attitude. Between it all electronic sounds mingle and intensify, giving much depth to the sound.

At first glance its a noisy mess of oddities but in a similar fashion to Death Grips, strange musical ideas emerge from the chaos. Simple and pleasing rhythms, grooves and riffs are abstracted by crooked distortions, bending and manipulating most aspects bar the drums. "Specalized" takes breathing, half spoken noises as musical samples and the tracks words are indistinguishable in moments. This waves of sounds are heard in excessive vocal revebs and the noisy guitars which utilize very half measured, dissonant, almsot plastic like distortions. Trying to pick it apart is quite the task as each song takes a different approach to the construct of its instruments. Ultimately they end up forming a coherent songs with an musical objective to relate to than its noisy exterior as the guitar riffs, for the most part, lead the songs.

With "Bubble Letters" the energy picks up for a moment as they push into party territory, that song and the following reminding me fondly of early 90s The Prodigy of all things. That's the records best moment as the rest of it is reasonable, to be fair these songs are quiet exciting in your first few listens, there's a lot going on and its all a blur. Getting familiar with them is fun but once the unpredictability wears off and the confusing aesthetics no longer creates a sense of excitement, the core music is rather simple and not particularly grabbing. Personally I feel as is too much focus on exteriors, the internal music is lacking in lasting substance, otherwise it could be a recipe for success.

Favorite Tracks: Articulate, Bubble Letters, Specialized, All She Does Is Kill Shit
Rating: 5/10